Cosmetology at Love Beauty School Inc

Love Beauty School's cosmetology program produces earnings that rank in the bottom 10% statewide—graduates earn just $11,442 in their first year, roughly $6,000 less than the Tennessee median for cosmetology programs. This gap is substantial: students at nearby Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro earn nearly double ($22,176), while The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville graduates earn more than twice as much ($25,878). The program serves a predominantly low-income student body (65% receive Pell grants), making these outcomes particularly troubling.

The debt load of $9,500 sits near national averages, but when paired with poverty-level wages, it creates real financial hardship. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 means graduates owe nearly a full year's income—and that's assuming they work full-time at $11,442 annually, which translates to just $5.50 per hour. Even accounting for the possibility that some graduates work part-time initially, the earnings here fall far short of what cosmetology training should deliver in Tennessee's job market.

For parents considering this program, the comparison to other Tennessee options is damning. Your child would likely be better served at nearly any other cosmetology school in the state, particularly the public technical colleges that deliver similar training at similar cost but produce dramatically better employment outcomes. This isn't about career choice—cosmetology can be viable—it's about choosing a program that actually prepares graduates to earn a living wage.